Silicon Valley comes to Parma

VisLab, a spin-off of the University of Parma, Italy, has been acquired by US image processing systems developer Ambarella for US$30 million. VisLab, founded in 2009 and managed by Alberto Broggi, professor of the Department of Information Engineering, specialises in computer vision software, particularly for automotive applications. The company has won several awards for its research and for its challenges such as the 15,000 kilometres autonomous vehicle driving test from Parma to Shanghai in 2010.
July 13, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
7085 VisLab, a spin-off of the University of Parma, Italy, has been acquired by US image processing systems developer Ambarella for US$30 million.

VisLab, founded in 2009 and managed by Alberto Broggi, professor of the Department of Information Engineering, specialises in computer vision software, particularly for automotive applications. The company has won several awards for its research and for its challenges such as the 15,000 kilometres autonomous vehicle driving test from Parma to Shanghai in 2010.
 
In 2014, VisLab developed DEEVA, the latest prototype equipped with sensors and video cameras capable of perceiving and interpreting real time movements and objects around it and consequently deciding autonomously where to move at which speed.

VisLab believes the commercialisation of such technologies will revolutionise road transportation and will especially help increase road safety by reducing accidents caused by the human factor, or driver distraction and irresponsible attitudes

As part of the acquisition, VisLab and its research team will remain in Italy.

“We have constantly improved our technology through a series of road tests, such as the 2013 tour of Parma (from the University Campus to Piazzale della Pilotta) made by an autonomous self-driving vehicle without any human intervention,” says Professor Broggi. “Now, we are ready for industrialisation.”

“Computer vision is an area of significant focus for Ambarella and for our market,” says Fermi Wang, CEO of Ambarella. “It is very important for us to work in synergy with the University of Parma, where VisLab has been developed”.
Detection, Monitoring & Machine Vision

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Cohda trial proves C-ITS can work in tunnels
    August 29, 2019
    Connected cars require uninterrupted signals to ensure driving safety. Going underground creates problems – but a trial in Norway suggests that there might be light at the end of the tunnel… As connectivity becomes increasingly important for transportation – in particular for connected and autonomous vehicles (C/AVs) - the problem of ‘blackspots’ and dead zones where signals fail or drop out is a pressing one. But developments early this year suggest that advances in technology might be on the brink of d
    Read More
  • Advancing traffic management for smart cities
    September 3, 2024
    Promises of increased safety, less pollution, increased productivity and a better quality of life in smart cities are just too good to be ignored. Dany Longval of Teledyne Flir talks through some of the challenges
    Read More
  • Umovity: Revolutionising mobility through innovative technologies
    December 1, 2023
    United under the brand Umovity, PTV Group and Econolite join forces and introduce their new combined Mobility Tech Suite. The companies’ CEO Christian U. Haas explains the details
    Read More
  • US congestion costs continue to rise
    January 25, 2012
    The 2010 Urban Mobility Report, published by the Texas Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University, concludes that after two years of slight declines in overall traffic congestion - attributable to the economic downturn and high fuel prices - leading indicators suggest that as the economy rebounds, traffic problems are doing the same. While 2008 was the best year for commuters in at least a decade, the problem again began to grow in 2009.
    Read More

Highlighted Content